Apparatus for cooling



Sept. 2T, 1937. Y J. c. LINCOLN 2,093,458

APPARATUS FOR COOLING Filed May 29, 1934 gag( om@ 3&4

ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 21, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates as indicated to a method of and apparatus for cooling and pertains more specifically to a method of and apparatus for cooling a stream of air which,rafter being thusl cooled, may be caused to circulate into or through a building or the like in order to reduce'the temperature within such room or building.

It is a principal object of my invention to provide a method and-apparatus of the above de- D scribed character characterized by its simplicity .of construction and low cost of operation.

It is a further and more particular object of my invention to provide a method of and apparatus for cooling wherein the temperature of a 5 membrane is reduced to substantially wet bulb temperature by maintaining on one surface thereof a film of water which is evaporated by the passage of a current of air thereover. The air to be cooled is then'brought into contact with such cooled membrane. I

Other objects of my invention will appear as the description proceeds. y

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of P the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawing and the following description setting forth in detail'certain means and one. mode of carrying out the invention, such disclosed means 0. and mode illustrating, however, but one of vari- -ous ways in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing:-

Fi'g. 1 is a vertical, part sectional, part eleva- 5 tional view of one form of apparatus constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the apparatus illustratedA in Fig. 1 taken on a plane substantially indicated by the line 2 2; Fig. 3 is a', fragmentary sectional view drawn to an enlargedscale of a part of the apparatus illustrated in the previous gures takencna plane substantially indicated by lin'e 3-3 on Fig.' 1; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the 45 upper end of a portion of the apparatus illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 and illustrating more particularly the arrangement of the means for distributing a lm of Water over certain faces of the verticallydisposed partitions or membranes; and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing more particularly the construction of one form of the membrane or partition members yillustrated in the previous gures.

55 Referring now more specifically to the drawing and more especially to Figs. 1 and 2, the apparatus herein illustrated and by which the principles of my invention may be carried on consists of a substantially rectangular vertically disposed frame generally indicated at I. 'Mounted within the rectangular frame I and supported 5 therein in the manner hereinafter more fully explained are a plurality of membranes generally indicated at 2. These membranes or vertically disposed partition members which are arranged in spaced relation are preferably formed of some 10 suitable material such as thin copper or aluminum sheet or celluloid, cellophane, vegetable parchment or the like. The particular require- Vment for the membranes 2 is that they be imperviousto water, of good thermal conductivity and sufficiently thin so as to readily and quicklyl transmit heat therethrough. In other words, the membranes 2` are preferably of some material which provides an effective supporting surface for the film of water but which will not permit the passage of water therethrough, and efliciently transfer the heat from the air contacting the dry side of the `membrane to the film of water being evaporated from the opposite side thereof.

As illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the membranes 2 25 are shown tacked or similarly secured at their Vertical edges to strips such as 3 which may be of wood or other suitable material. The vertically disposed strips 3 to which the membranes 2 are secured are slightly wedge-shaped in their vertical extent for the reason hereinafter more fully explained.

After the membranes 2 are secured in pairs to the strips 3, as shownin Fig. 4, they are positioned within the vertically disposed and laterally substantially completely closed frame I and are supported therein by means of screws 4 which are preferably, at their inner ends, secured to the strips 3; then extend outwardly through slightly enlarged openings in the wall of the enclosing casing I. The screws 4 are provided with enlarged heads to serve as an abutment for springs 5 which, at their opposite ends, may abut against the outer surface of the frame I.

Screws such as 4 are positioned on opposite sides of the partition members comprising the. membranes 2 and strips A3 so that the effect ,of the springs 5 is to maintain the membranes 2 in a taut condition.

Should the surface of the membranes 2 be of an oily nature, thereby not conducive to maintenance thereover of a continuous lm of water, one face, i. e., that which is to carry such film, may be provided with an adherent coating or 55 layer of water absorbent material l which may be of felt, cheesecloth, lter paper or the like.

Extending along one side of the frame I, near the upper edge of the membranes 2,. is a header 'I from which extend a plurality'of water pipes 8. The water pipes l are arranged in the alternate spaces defined by the upper ends of the membranes v2 so that the water projected therefrom will wet one side only of all of the membranes. As most clearly illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, some means such as felt wicks 9 may be provided adjacent the upper edges of the membranes 2 so as to evenly distribute over such membranes the water which is projected from the pipes 8.

'Ihe wicks 9 may be suitably supported in position by some means such as a saddle III formed of foraminous material and welded to or similary secured to the pipe I and/or the membranes 2.

'rne en'ect of the wicks als to reed the water from the supply pipes at a uniform rate to the surfaces of the membranes and also to evenly distribute the water throughout the entire transverse extent of. such membrane surfaces which might not occur if the water were projected against the membranes by spaced streams issuing from the pipes I.

Positioned beneath the frame l and the previously -descrlbed assembly contained therein is a catch basin generally indicated at i I. The spaces between the wet faces of the membranes are open at the bottom so that any moisture remaining on such membranes and dripping from the bottom edges thereof will be caught in such catch basin. A pump -I2 which may be of any suitable form and actuated by means of a plunger' rod I3, operated from a cam Il. driven by a motor I5, is employed to .elevate water from the catchbasin II through thepipe I0 which is then forced through the pipes I and discharged against the membranes 2 in the manner hereinbefore described.

'Ihe spaces between the dry. faces of the mem` branes are cled at the bottom by members such as I1. '111e left side wall, as viewed in Fig. 1 of the rectangular frame I, is cut away in the areas -generally indicated at Il and a suitable header Il is provided for the purpose of collecting the air which issues from the openings I8.

'I'he rectangular frame I is, at its upper end, provided with an opening 2l in which may be positioned a fan 2l for the Pillp oi.' forcing of air downwardly through the vertical spaces defined by the membranes 2.

The operation oi' the foregoing apparatus may be briey described as follows:

Energization of the motor II will result in the energization of the pump I2 and the fan 2|. The pump I2 will force water from the catch basin Ilthroughthepiplsoastomaintain afllmofmoistureononesideonlyofeachof the membranes 2. The fan 2| will cause divided streamsofairtonowdownwardiythralghthe spaceslaterallydefinedbythewetanddryfaces respectively of the membranes, i. e., the air which l passes downwardly through the spaces 22 will beincontactwiththewaterfilm onthesuriaces of the membranes defining such spaces. 'Ihe wedge-shape of the members I slightly inclines the membranes so as to facilitate the maintenance of a uniform nlm of moistureover the face of the membranes. The air which downwardlythroughthe spacesisincontact with the dry feces oi the membranes. The evaporathat the dry air in the spaces 23, by the time it issues from the openings I. and the header I9, will also be reduced to substantially wet bulb temperature, i; e., from 10to 30 F. lower than the temperature at which it wu admitted to the cooler by means of the fan 2i.

'Ihe air which passes downwardly through the spaces 22 is discharged' to the outside over the surface of the water in the catch basin II.` The dry air which has passed downwardly through the spaces 23 and has become' cooled is discharged from the header I9 into the room or building to be cooled.

In view of the fact that a certain percentage of the water projected from the pipes 8 onto the surfaces of the membranes is evaporated in order to accomplish the cooling, some means must be provided for maintaining a constant supply of water in the catch basin I I. Any suitable means of supply may be provided for this purpose. It is, of course, possibleto connect the pipes 8 directly to the source of supply and then dispense with the pump I2. The re-circulation of the water eil'ected by the pump I2, of course, results in a material saving, inasmuch as all the water not evaporated is re-circulated.v It is believed that the construction and operation of the apparatus by which the principles of my invention may be practiced may be understood without a further description, it being noted that the form of the apparatus may be materially changed without departing from the principles oi' my invention.

-As previously indicated, the fundamental concept is the depositing of a layer or nlm of air on a membrane, evaporating such illm by the passage of a current of air thereover, which evaporation results in a reduction in temperature of the membrane, and then circulating th'e air to be cooled in contact with the dry face oi the membrane so that the cooled air will be reduced in temperature without picking up any moisture.

Other modes of'applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the means and the steps herein disclosed, provided those stated by any of the following claims or 1. In an apparatus for cooling, a-relatively thin membrane of vegetable parchment, means for applying a nlm of water to one side of said membrane, means for passing a stream of air over said film to evaporate at least a part thereof and thus reduce the temperature of said membrane, and means for passing the stream oi air to be cooled over the dry surface of said membrane thus cooled.

2. In an apparatus for cooling, a relatively thin membrane of vegetable parchment, a layer-of water absorbent material on one side of said membrane, means for wetting said layer of absorbent material, means for supplying. separate streamsofairrespectivelyoverthewetanddry sides of said membrane, and means directing said lastnamedstreamtothespaeetobecooled.

3. In apparatus of the clmracter described, the

combination of a thin, water-impervious membrane, a water distributing 'wick member on one transversely thereof adiacent its upper end, spray means for supplying water to'said wick member,

. and means for supplying separate streams of air respectively over opposite sides of said membrane.

4. In apparatus for cooling, a substantially nonporous relatively thin non-metallic membrane, means for supplying a nlm of water to one side of said membrane, means for passing streams of air respectively over the opposite sides of said membrane, and means for maintaining said membrane in a taut condition.

5. In apparatus for cooling, a relatively thin membrane of vegetable parchment, means .for supplying a lm of water to one side of said membrane, means for passing streamszof air respectively over the opposite sides of said membrane, and means for maintaining said membrane in a taut condition.

6. In an apparatus for cooling, a substantially non-porous relatively thin non-metallic. membrane, means for applying a nlm oi.' water to one side of said membrane, means for passing a stream of air over said nlm to evaporate at least a part thereof and thus reduce the temperature of said membrane, and means for passing the stream of air to be cooled over the dry surface of said membrane thus cooled. y

7. In apparatus of the character described, a combination of a thin water impervious membrane, a water distributing wick member on one vertical face of said membrane and extending transversely thereof adjacent its upper end, means for supplying water to said wick member, a layer o! water absorbent material on one side of said membrane below said. wick member and means fur supplying separate streams of air respectively over opposite sides of said membrane.

JOHN C. LINCOLN. 

